Apple today announced that four new games will be added to Apple Arcade this month, including Cypher 007, Japanese Rural Life Adventure, Junkworld, and My Talking Angela 2+. In addition, Apple said over 40 games available on the service will be receiving updates this month, including the popular game Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
Details about the upcoming games and updates can be found in the Apple Newsroom announcement on Apple's website.
Launched in November 2019, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based gaming service accessible through the App Store. Priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year in the U.S., the service provides subscribers with access to nearly 300 games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. All games on Apple Arcade are free of ads and in-app purchases.
Apple Arcade is included for three months for free with the purchase of a new Apple device, such as one of the upcoming iPhone 15 models, which are expected to be announced at Apple's event on Tuesday, September 12. Apple says this offer is available for first-time subscribers and "qualified" returning subscribers.
Amazon today has all-time low prices on Apple's new 15-inch MacBook Air in both 256GB and 512GB options. You can get the 256GB 15.3-inch MacBook Air for $1,099.00, down from $1,299.00.
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This sale is available in three colors: Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. All models are in stock and have an estimated delivery date between September 6 and September 11. These notebooks debuted this past June and we last tracked this record low price in August.
Additionally, Amazon has the 512GB 15.3-inch MacBook Air on sale for $1,299.00, down from $1,499.00. This one is available in three colors and has an estimated delivery date between September 6 and September 11 as well.
The new MacBook Air features a large 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, M2 processor, six-speaker system, two Thunderbolt ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and MagSafe. The 15.3-inch MacBook Air is mostly similar to the 2022 13.6-inch MacBook Air, but there are some key differences that we highlighted in our buyer's guide.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Apple plans to release new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays in mid to late 2024, according to a report today from DigiTimes, citing supply chain sources. The report indicates that some Apple suppliers have already started to expand their touchscreen panel capacity to prepare for the launch.
The report claims that the new iPad Pro models will be equipped with hybrid OLED displays that are made with a combination of flexible and rigid materials, which could contribute to a thinner and lighter design compared to the current models.
OLED technology would enable the next iPad Pro displays to have increased brightness, higher contrast ratio, greater color accuracy, and lower power consumption compared to existing models with LCD panels. Apple already uses OLED displays for the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models, excluding the lower-end iPhone SE.
iPad Pro models released in 2017 and later support ProMotion, allowing for a variable refresh rate between 24Hz and 120Hz. The switch to OLED would likely allow for the refresh rate to drop down even further to 10Hz or lower to save battery life. iPhone 14 Pro models can reach as low as 1Hz while in always-on display mode.
Currently, the larger iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch display, so the 13-inch model would be slightly larger. Apple reportedly aims to decrease the size of the bezels on future iPad Pro models, but it's unclear if that will apply to the next models.
The report claims that Apple suppliers will likely stop shipments of the current iPad Pro models with mini-LED backlighting by mid 2024, suggesting that those models might be discontinued instead of sticking around as a lower-cost option.
By now, it has been widely rumored that Apple will be launching new iPad Pro models with OLED displays in 2024. A previous report from Korean website The Elec indicated that mass production of the next iPad Pro models would begin in the first half of 2024, with the most likely launch months for the devices being March or June at this point.
Other new features rumored for the next iPad Pro models include an M3 chip and a redesigned Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and an aluminum casing.
Google has expanded on its #BestPhonesForever ad campaign with a new video titled "Spa Day" in which it pokes fun at the upcoming iPhone 15's implied lack of headline features and its expected adoption of USB-C in lieu of a Lightning port.
In the ad, an iPhone and a Pixel are depicted relaxing in a tranquil spa amid towels and candles, idly chatting to one another with their rear cameras covered by cucumber slices.
"Pixel, a spa day was the perfect idea with all these launch events coming up," says the iPhone, lamenting that the launches "just keep getting harder." After fondly recalling the applause that its slide-to-unlock feature elicited 16 years ago, the iPhone continues:
"Now it seems like every time I turn around, phones like you are doing stuff I can't, like unblurring old photos, answering unknown calls with AI, and live translating messages... it's exhausting. But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Like what?" says the Pixel.
"That's under wraps. But let's just say you'll be USB-C-ing soon!"
"You're finally getting USB-C charging?"
"What?" says the iPhone as the cucumber slice slowly slithers off its camera lens. "How did you know?"
"Lucky guess?" replies the Pixel sarcastically.
"Rest up for October 4," reads the ad's tagline, in reference to Google's upcoming Pixel event, where it is expected to unveil a new Pixel 8 lineup, a new Pixel Watch, and potentially Pixel Buds updates.
Since the iPhone 5, Apple has kept the Lightning port on the iPhone, despite much of the industry moving to USB-C. However, after coming under pressure to comply with new regulations implemented in Europe, Apple is swapping the Lightning port on iPhone 15 devices for a USB-C port.
With this transition, the Mac, iPhone, and iPad will all finally charge using USB-C, allowing Apple customers to charge their devices with what has effectively become the de facto universal charging standard for consumer mobile and laptop devices.
Apple will acquire the major Swedish classical music record label BIS Records, intending to fold it into Apple Music Classical and Platoon.
BIS Records was founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. The label focuses on a range of classical music, with particular focus on works that are not well represented by existing recordings. It is an award-winning name in the world of classical music, acclaimed for its vast catalog and impressive audio quality. The label celebrates its 50th anniversary this week.
The company announced its impending acquisition by Apple earlier today. The BIS Records homepage now features a statement from founder Robert von Bahr:
Dear Friends,
A few days ago BIS Records turned 50 years old and I am immensely proud of what our small team of people has accomplished during this half-century. BIS's specialty, while paying our dues to the core repertoire, has been to nurture young classical artists and interesting living composers and to safeguard the musical treasure that we all represent long into the future. It is to that end that, after much careful consideration, and having just turned 80, I am excited to announce the rather momentous news that we have made the decision to become part of the Apple family.
We thought long and hard on how to maintain and build upon our prestigious history and looked for a partner who would further our mission, as well as an increased global platform to bring classical music to new audiences all over the world. Apple, with its own storied history of innovation and love of music, is the ideal home to usher in the next era of classical and has shown true commitment towards building a future in which classical music and technology work in harmony. It is my vision and my sincerest dream that we are all a part of this future.
There have been numerous moves of late by Apple to further support creativity within the classical space, not the least of which was the release of Apple Music Classical earlier this year. Apple and BIS also share a fundamental belief in the importance of preserving audio quality. As you are all aware, BIS has always been about exceptional sound quality, and Apple's dedication to sound, as well as to Spatial Audio, is something I have followed with interest.
BIS will become part of Apple Music Classical and Platoon. As proud as I am of this milestone, I am even more proud of the fact that the entire personnel of BIS, including me, have been retained. We all look forward to a future, filled with new music and artists in golden sound from this increased force in classical music.
BIS is set to become a part of Apple Music Classical and the Apple-owned label Platoon. Apple acquired Platoon, a London-based A&R startup focused on discovering rising music artists, in 2018.
In 2021, Apple announced that it had purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic and would be folding it into Apple Music via a new app dedicated to the genre. Apple released the Apple Music Classical app in March. The app offers a simpler interface for interacting with classical music specifically. Unlike the main Apple Music app, Apple Music Classical allows users to search by composer, work, conductor, catalog number, and more. Users can get more detailed information from editorial notes and descriptions.
It provides access to over five million classical music tracks, including new high-quality releases, in addition to hundreds of curated playlists, thousands of exclusive albums, and other features like composer bios and deep dives on key works. Apple commissioned high-resolution digital portraits of famous composers like Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, and Johann Sebastian Bach for the app, using color palettes and artistic references from the relevant classical period, with more unique artwork to be added over time.
Upon the app's release, Apple said that it had been working with classical music artists and institutions to offer exclusive content and recordings. The acquisition of BIS Records appears to be the latest move to bolster the service.
Apple argues that iMessage is not sufficiently popular to be classified as a "gatekeeper" under EU law, the Financial Times reports.
The discussion comes ahead of the publication of the first list of services to be regulated by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The legislation introduces new rules that apply to tech giants that meet its "gatekeeper" criteria and force them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. For example, Apple could be forced to allow third-party companies and rival apps like Meta's WhatsApp to integrate directly with iMessage.
In recent correspondence with the European Commission, Apple argued that iMessage does not meet the number of users at which the DMA's rules apply, and should not be obliged to comply with it as a result. Analysts estimate that iMessage has as many as one billion users around the world, but Apple has not disclosed any official numbers about the service for several years, or how many users it has in Europe specifically. Whether iMessage will be included on the EU's initial list of gatekeeper services will depend on how it defines the market in which it operates.
The DMA could prompt similar major changes to the way in which the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work over the next couple of years. Apple is expected to add support for sideloading apps from outside the App Store on iPhones and iPads in Europe via an update to iOS 17 due to the DMA's requirements.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple aims this year to release the iPhone 15 in India at the same time as its global launch in mid-September, based on local reports.
According to sources who spoke to The Economic Times, Apple is on course to narrow the lag between the iPhone's global launch to a few days, if not a achieve a simultaneous reveal in India.
In recent years, initial batches of new iPhones have exclusively been made in China, before India comes on stream gradually in the following months. In 2022, for example, Foxconn's Chennai facility began production of the iPhone 14 ten days after the global launch, but it took around a month for the locally made iPhones to be available in the country.
This year locally made iPhone 15 models will initially cater to the Indian market exclusively, but exports to Europe and the U.S. are expected to begin after December. The shift signals the company's gradual progress in diversifying its supply chain away from China, with Apple now the largest smartphone exporter in India.
Late last month, a device presumed to be an iPhone 15 model was spotted in India's regulatory database. A similar thing happened around the same time last year: Just a few weeks before the announcement of the iPhone 14 lineup, a single iPhone 14 model was spotted in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) database that turned out to be the standard iPhone 14 model built for "other countries and regions." New Apple devices being spotted in global regulatory databases often indicates that launch is soon to follow.
Apple has raised its sales target by almost 100% year-on-year for over 200 Premium Reseller stores in India in the second and third quarters, according to The Economic Times. Apple CEO Tim Cook in his latest earnings call said that the company broke revenue records in the country and saw sales grow by double digits in what is the third largest smartphone market in the world.
Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook series to compete with Chromebook models in the education sector that could be launched as early as the second half of 2024, claims a new report out of Taiwan.
According to DigiTimes' industry sources, Apple will likely launch the new product line to differentiate it from the company's existing MacBook Air and Pro lines. The outer appearance will still use a metal casing but will be made of "different materials" and the cost of the mechanical components will be lower, claims the report.
The launch timeframe for the alleged new MacBook series appears to be based on a lack of related activity at major Apple suppliers like Quanta Computer and Foxconn, making a launch in the first half of next year unlikely.
Over 13.9 million Chromebooks were shipped in 2019, increasing to over 30.4 million in 2020 and 33.5 million in 2021, according to DigiTimes Research, highlighting the popularity of Google's low-cost laptops in the education sector, especially during and around the global pandemic.
Chromebook shipments are said to have slowed since the end of lockdowns, but the scale of shipments is still larger than before COVID. The number of educational institutions that have adopted Chromebooks over the last few years is also said to have seen rapid growth, especially when compared to Apple's iPads, sales of which have lagged in the education market.
This is the first rumor we have heard that Apple is actively developing a new MacBook series that the company will price below its more premium MacBook offerings, so expectations should remain guarded until we receive corroboration from other sources.
Late last month, rumors suggested that Apple plans to eliminate leather cases for the iPhone 15 lineup, and today we are hearing that Apple Watch leather bands may also soon be phased out as part of a fresh sustainability push by Apple.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Apple will "begin moving away from leather on its Apple Watch bands as well," which, as he rightly notes, puts the future of Apple's partnership with luxury brand Hermès in question.
Adding weight to this assumption, Gurman reports that last month Apple began offering employees its Apple Watch Hermès leather accessories and leather link bands at heavily discounted prices – in some cases up to 90% off – in a clear indication that Apple is clearing its inventory.
Gurman offers the example of Apple Hermès bands with a retail price of $850 – likely the Noir Swift Leather Gourmette (Metal) Double Tour – being offered to staff for $85. The internal deal is said to be continuing even though many Hermès bands are officially out of stock.
Hermès Noir Swift Leather Gourmette (Metal) Double Tour
"Several other accessories including many Solo Loop bands in outgoing colors and the MagSafe charging dock [sic] are also on deep discount to clear stock," added the reporter in a Twitter (X) post, suggesting these too are set to be replaced imminently. (Note: It's not yet clear which MagSafe charger Gurman is referring to here.)
Last week we reported on rumors suggesting Apple intends to offer leather-alternative iPhone 15 cases with a woven fabric look, under the case moniker "FineWoven." If this is accurate, Apple would presumably sell silicone cases and the new "FineWoven" cases, replicas of which have been shared online.
A leather alternative that is fabric-based would have a smaller carbon footprint than a case made from traditional cowhide, and it would be more environmentally friendly. Indeed, Gurman speculates that sustainability will be a "larger than normal" part of Apple's "Wonderlust" September 12th event, where it is expected to unveil its new iPhone 15 lineup, Apple Watch Series 9, and a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, among other possible new products.
Apple is expected to unveil four new iPhone 15 models at its event on Tuesday, September 12, and the devices will likely be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 15. All four models are rumored to be equipped with a USB-C port and the Dynamic Island, while many additional features are expected for the Pro models, including a titanium frame, customizable Action button, A17 Bionic chip, Wi-Fi 6E support, and more.
Below, we have recapped a dozen new features rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro models:
Titanium frame:Weighs less than the stainless steel frame on previous Pro models
A17 Bionic chip: Faster, more power efficient, manufactured with a 3nm process
For now, these are the key rumors for the iPhone 15 Pro models before they are unveiled next week. With around a week to go until Apple announces the iPhone 15 series, it is possible that additional features and changes will surface.
Downloads of the visionOS software development kit (SDK) apparently surpassed Apple's expectations, despite previously reported concerns about developer interest in the Vision Pro headset.
In an interview with Digital Trends, Apple executives indicated that there has been a high level of interest in Vision Pro from developers. The affirmation comes on the heels of concerns highlighted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month claiming that the developer labs have been "under-filled with small amounts of developers." Apple is not offering U.S. developer labs outside of Cupertino, which means any developer that wants to try the Vision Pro must travel to Apple's headquarters in California.
Apple refrained from directly addressing these reports, but Apple vice president of worldwide developer relations Susan Prescott pointed out that there was an "extremely high, three-digit customer satisfaction for the labs that we've run so far."
Steve Sinclair, senior director of product marketing for Apple Vision Pro, also told Digital Trends that "the number of SDK downloads has exceeded our expectations," purportedly indicating that Vision Pro has been very popular among developers. The visionOS simulator has been available since late June, allowing developers to begin building and testing apps for the device ahead of its launch in early 2024.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could see a "major price hike" compared to their predecessors, according to DigiTimes' senior analyst Luke Lin.
While the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are expected to maintain their pricing similar to the current models, the Pro models could see significant cost adjustments due to their new titanium chassis and periscope camera technology on the larger model.
The price increase comes amid a broader softening of global smartphone demand projected for the latter half of 2023. According to Lin, Apple has ordered between 80 to 90 million iPhone 15 units for this period, a downturn from the 90 to 100 million units placed for the iPhone 14 models last year. Leading the order share is the iPhone 15 Pro Max, followed in succession by the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15, and the iPhone 15 Plus.
Previous forecasts suggested the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be at least $100 more expensive than their predecessors. The iPhone 14 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1,099, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro could start at $1,099 to $1,199 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max could start at $1,199 to $1,299.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was contemplating raising the price for both the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Analyst Jeff Pu has also said that the iPhone 15 Pro models could be more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro models. He believes the iPhone 15 Pro will be priced starting at $1,099, up from the $999 starting price of the iPhone 14 Pro. The entire iPhone 15 lineup are widely expected to be unveiled at Apple's "Wonderlust" event on Tuesday, September 12.
Lin added that upstream supply chain information indicates that Apple will increase the display sizes of both Pro models next year, mirroring other rumors claiming that the two devices will increase from display sizes of 6.1- and 6.7-inches to 6.3- and 6.9-inches.
A future "iPhone Ultra" model could capture spatial photos and videos to be displayed in Apple's Vision Pro headset, according to a rumor shared by a Weibo account with a proven track record for disclosing accurate information about Apple's plans.
The camera configuration of a future "iPhone Ultra" model will reportedly "lead the market to rethink what kind of photos and videos a mobile phone should take." It seems highly likely that the information refers to the capture of spatial photos and videos, a unique feature of the Vision Pro that uses outward-facing cameras to record immersive 3D content.
Spatial videos and photos are designed to have "incredible depth," according to Apple, allowing the user to "see into a moment." Apple says that the feature is designed to allow users to relive their memories like never before. From Apple's press release announcing the Vision Pro headset:
Featuring Apple's first three-dimensional camera, Apple Vision Pro lets users capture, relive, and immerse themselves in favorite memories with Spatial Audio. Every spatial photo and video transports users back to a moment in time, like a celebration with friends or a special family gathering. Users can access their entire photo library on iCloud, and view their photos and videos at a life-size scale with brilliant color and spectacular detail.
Standard photos and videos from an iPhone or another device can still be viewed on the headset, but the 3D images and videos are considerably more immersive and can only be captured using a Vision Pro itself. The feature is so central to the Vision Pro experience that the device has a dedicated mechanical button on the top to activate it.
Spatial video playback in visionOS.
The Weibo user cautioned that additional information about the new iPhone capability is currently incomplete, suggesting that there may be more to follow. It is also worth noting that the "iPhone Ultra" moniker has been frequently used across Chinese social media platforms when discussing a future "Pro Max" model following rumors that Apple was planning to rename the device earlier this year. The change is no longer expected to occur this year, but according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple could release a new high-end device called the "iPhone Ultra," sitting above the "Pro Max" in the lineup, as soon as next year. The Apple Vision Pro headset is set to launch in early 2024.
Apple will offer next year's OLED iPad Pro models with a 4TB storage option, according to a new rumor coming out of Asia.
According to news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog (via @Tech_Reve), Apple will double the storage capacity of the next-generation iPad Pro models compared to its current 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which both max out at 2TB of storage. The rumor is said to come from a parts company in Apple's supply chain, but otherwise no other information is given.
The Naver blog account has a mixed track record when it comes to accurate rumors, therefore we are filing this particular claim under "questionable." That said, the idea that Apple will up the storage for its next-generation iPad Pros is not out of the question. Apple first offered a 2TB storage option with the previous fifth-generation iPad Pro, but the current sixth-generation iPad Pro models additionally support ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30fps (1080p at 30fps on models with 128GB storage).
If Apple upped the max storage of its forthcoming OLED iPad Pro models to 4TB, it would likely also increase the base storage to 256GB to maintain five capacity categories, making all seventh-generation models capable of recording ProRes in 4K at 30fps.
It's also worth noting that iPad Pro RAM is variable based on storage capacity, so iPad Pro models with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage come with 8GB of RAM, while iPad Pro models with 1TB or 2TB of storage feature 16GB of RAM. Whether that means a 4TB iPad Pro would feature 24GB or 32GB of RAM is unknown, but not improbable.
The new iPad Pros will be the first major update to the product since 2018, adding the M3 Apple silicon chip, OLED displays, and slightly larger 11- and 13-inch size options.
Apple's annual fall event takes place on Tuesday, September 12, when it is expected to unveil the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineup, an Apple Watch Series 9, and a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra. It may also make some additional new products available, but there are a handful of rumored upcoming devices that we don't expect to make an appearance this month.
To help set expectations ahead of Apple's "Wonderlust" event, we've compiled a list of products that Apple is unlikely to announce in September, but rather later on in the year or in 2024 and beyond.
M3-Powered Macs
Apple is developing new Macs powered by the company's next-generation M3 chip, which is built on chipmaking partner TSMC's 3nm process, resulting in significant performance and power efficiency improvements over the 5nm-based M2 chip that Apple's most recent Mac models are based on.
The first of Apple's new M3-powered Macs are expected to arrive later in the year. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's sources, an October event will follow Apple's iPhone 15 series announcement in September, and the state of Apple's current product lineup suggests it will focus on new Macs with M3 chips. However, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says no M3 Macs will be unveiled until 2024, so it's unclear what might happen.
Given that Apple launched new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in January, and more recently new 15-inch MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models in June, Gurman believes the first beneficiaries of the new M3 chip will be the next 24-inch iMac, 13-inch MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Looking further ahead, new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 chips are expected to arrive in early 2024, featuring M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, according to Gurman. Apple is also believed to be actively testing an M3 version of the Mac mini, although it is not expected to arrive until sometime next year.
New iPads
Apple is expected to release new M3-powered iPad Pro models with OLED displays and a redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory, but these devices are not expected to debut until the spring or early summer of 2024.
As for the iPad mini, which was last updated in September 2021, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in January said the next model would likely enter mass production in the first quarter of 2024. At the time, he also said there may be no new iPad releases in the following 9-12 months.
According to Gurman, Apple is developing a new iPad Air with improved specs, and he also believes there is a possibility that a new iPad Air will be released in 2023. If so, we could perhaps see it in October. Apple last updated the iPad Air in March 2022.
The best chance of seeing a new tablet from Apple this year could come in the form of an 11th-generation entry-level iPad. The 10th-generation iPad was released in October 2022, and Apple has updated the entry-level iPad on an annual basis since 2017, so we could see a new spec-bumped model in October 2023, although rumors are still thin on the ground.
iPhone SE 4
Rumors regarding Apple's plans for the next-generation iPhone SE have been mixed at best, with a lot of back and forth on when and indeed if we'll see a fourth-generation iPhone SE.
The latest rumors suggest the iPhone SE will be similar to the iPhone 14, featuring an all-display design with Face ID instead of Touch ID, a USB-C port, a single rear camera, and an "Action" button to replace the mute switch. There's also a possibility that it could include OLED display technology.
We are not expecting a new iPhone SE to debut this year or even next year, and it's looking like it will launch in 2025 at the earliest. It could perhaps be one of the first devices to feature an Apple-designed modem chip.
Vision Pro Headset
Vision Pro marks the company's first entrance into a new product category since the 2015 Apple Watch, with the so-called "spatial computing" device announced at WWDC 2023 in June. According to Apple, the Vision Pro will go on sale in early 2024, which likely means January to late April, with an outside chance of it arriving in May.
However, it's worth noting that by that time, new Macs with M3 processors will have likely launched, and the fact that the $3,500 Vision Pro uses an M2 chip that is inferior to those in cheaper 2024 Macs may seem strange to the average consumer.
Other Upcoming Products
Apple's HomePod mini will be three years old in October. Gurman was first to highlight Apple's work on a second-generation HomePod mini in August 2022. Gurman has since expressed skepticism about what a new HomePod mini could offer since "the latest HomePod doesn't include any major new functions that aren't already in the $99 mini."
In February, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple will begin mass shipments of the second-generation HomePod mini in the second half of 2024.
Apple is also believed to have third-generation AirPods Pro, a refreshed Apple TV with improved specifications, and other "home equipment" such as smart displays in early development, but none of these products are expected to arrive in the short term.
Apple is expected to release major software updates for iPhones and iPads simultaneously this month, unlike last year's staggered release of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16.
That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The well-connected reporter's sources within Apple tell him the company is considering the eighth betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to be the final versions in all but name, "barring any unforeseen circumstances."
The eighth beta versions were released to developers and public beta testers last week, hot on the heels of the sixth and seventh betas, indicating that Apple is fast approaching the final hurdle as it prepares to install iOS 17 on iPhone 15 models coming off the assembly line.
Last year, Apple released iPadOS 16 on October 24, over a month after iOS 16 officially went public. The decision to release its iPad software until later in the fall was to allow it more time to refine Stage Manager, its then-new app window management system, which was subject to much criticism in the beta development phase.
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 will likely appear shortly after the iPhone 15 series is announced during Apple's "Wonderlust" event on Tuesday, September 12. Apple plans to stream the fall event live on its website, on YouTube, and through the Apple TV app. For those unable to watch, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Apple "got close" to releasing an all-new 14-inch iPad model this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In his most recent "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple has been exploring the concept of an even larger iPad since 2021 and almost released a 14-inch model, in what would have been the biggest iPad to date, this year. Now, there is apparently no such product in Apple's imminent product pipeline.
One complication was apparently the transition to OLED displays in the iPad lineup, which could invoke considerably higher costs on larger tablet displays. As previously rumored, the first iPad Pro models are expected to top out at 13 inches when they go on sale in the first half of 2024.
Gurman was first to float the rumor of Apple designers and engineers exploring iPads with bigger screens that could further "blur the lines" between a tablet and a laptop. In January 2022, this was followed by the news that multiple suppliers, including BOE and LG, were converting factories to be able to supply Apple with OLED displays around 15-inches in size suitable for future iPad models.
The leaker known as "Majin Bu" then claimed that Apple was working on an iPad with a 14.1-inch display and the M2 chip – a rumor corroborated by oft-accurate display industry analyst Ross Young, who added that the device would have a mini-LED display but no ProMotion for variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. In July last year, he amended his forecast, saying that Apple had switched to an LCD display for the device, the likes of which are used on the iPad mini and iPad Air.
In October 2022, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that Apple was developing a 16-inch iPad that it hoped to release in the fourth quarter of 2023. The prospective device would have approximately the same screen size as a 16-inch MacBook Pro, providing users with a significantly larger canvas to work with. Finally, Young said in December that Apple had shelved its plans to launch a 14.1-inch iPad.
Despite the tumultuous state of rumors about larger iPad models, Apple could still be interested in the prospect of launching such a device in the future. The biggest iPads that have been available since 2018 have been the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This means that the largest iPads are still smaller than the smallest MacBooks, the M1MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro, which feature 13.3-inch displays. Since the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is already in a similar range to the 13.3-inch MacBooks and is rumored to increase to 13-inches next year, it seems like just a matter of time before Apple offers a significantly bigger iPad model.
Bloomberg has repeatedly discussed Apple's interest in bigger iPads and although the 14.1-inch iPad model that was in the works is now believed to be canceled, the 16-inch model last reported by The Information could still be in active development, although we have not heard anything about it for quite some time.
Apple plans to update AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case during its "Wonderlust" iPhone 15 event on Tuesday, September 12, but no other hardware changes to the earbuds are expected, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says he believes Apple will eventually add USB-C ports to all AirPods in its lineup, but he suggests that AirPods Pro will be the first model to receive the updated charging case.
Gurman previously reported that Apple will announce updated AirPods with a USB-C charging case alongside new iPhone 15 models, all of which are expected to transition away from Lightning to USB-C, but it wasn't clear if he was referring to the standard AirPods and/or the AirPods Pro.
New AirPods Pro features are still expected to arrive with the release of iOS 17, but they will be software-based. In addition, new hearing aid capabilities are expected over the next year or so. Gurman said he also expects price cuts to eventually come to the lower-end AirPods models when USB-C spreads to the rest of the lineup.
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Spatial video playback in visionOS.
